As the SKWAWKBOX observed in January, delegate application packs for Labour’s 2017 Conference have now been sent to unions, affiliates and CLPs (constituency Labour parties) this month. The Conference this year takes place in Brighton.

Delegate selection meetings are already taking place and the SKWAWKBOX is receiving regular reports of undemocratic and downright deceitful tactics being used by the right-wing faction to lever right-wing delegates into the Conference in spite of most CLPs having a clear majority of pro-Corbyn members. Some of those accounts will follow over coming days, now that the by-elections are over.

As the SKWAWKBOXshowedat the turn of the year, Labour First – along with Progress and similar factions – are desperately organising to try to ensure that they cram as many anti-Corbyn members into the delegate count as possible.

Last weekend, the Sunday Times published an article claiming that former Labour Shadow Cabinet member Clive Lewis had registered two websites in readiness for a leadership bid on 29 June last year, just days after being appointed to the Shadow Cabinet. Lewis had denied any involvement in the registration of the sites.

Many might think, ‘well he would say that, wouldn’t he?’ On the contrary, it is extremely credible.

Because he’s not the only senior Labour MP to have ‘leader’ websites registered against his name – some on the same date and others only a day later.

Mob-handed?

The SKWAWKBOX has heard reports of a large number of registrations at the same time and invites any readers who know of specific examples to contact the blog, but for now we’ll look at one example for which full details are available.

Sunday evening’s two articles on the apparent unlawfulness and odd practice of the Copeland by-election have sparked huge discussions on social media. Some people are adamant that they heard BBC Question Time host David Dimbleby announce that Labour had held the Copeland seat, while others are doubting it.

Below is a link to the full video on BBC iPlayer, which says it will be available for the next 11 months:

We also actually hear that Copeland has been held by Labour, the Tories haven’t taken Copeland [sudden hand gesture].. this is purely surmise at this moment, people at the count looking at people’s faces, I suspect.

Dimbleby’s phrasing is certainly noteworthy. ‘We also actually hear that Copeland has been held by Labour, the Tories haven’t held it‘. This is followed by a flick of the eyes to his left – hearing something…

First, she was mocked for missing the least important of the Brexit votes, the ‘first reading’ where nothing much was going to happen, via a ridiculous social media hashtag. Gaurang Morjaria on Twitter nailed it pefectly:

Then she was called an ape by a pig of a Tory councillor, who – we’re glad to note – was suspended for his swineishness.

Then, after Wednesday’s final Commons vote on the government’s Article 50 bill, leering Brexit Secretary David Davis decided it would be a jolly jape to plant an unwelcome kiss on Ms Abbott in mocking thanks for her vote in favour of the bill. Ms Abbott told him to “f*ck off”. Personally, I think a knee in the family jewels would have made it even better, but of course all the media attention has been on the epithet rather than the…